Meet MS Stéphane Guay, CD, celebrating an impressive 43-year career (and counting)!
By Lt(N) Jonathan Lacasse
It’s been several years since we last met, and that’s the kind of thing that happens a lot in the lives of sailors. We forge bonds through being a crew and over time, then we move away and meet again with the tides.
It was with surprise that I ran into Master Sailor (MS) Stéphane Guay at a ceremony where he received the third clasp to his Canadian Forces’ Decoration, marking 42 years of distinguished service. A rare moment, because few comrades in arms can claim to have accumulated so many nautical miles and so much experience within our organization.
I admit, I was impressed. The more our career progresses, the more we realize the effort and sacrifices this implies. After the ceremony, I had the privilege of chatting with MS Guay at CFS Leitrim mess, I wanted to learn more about his journey.
Here are some excerpts from our enriching conversation.
What year did you join the CAF, Stéphane?
I joined the Naval Reserve on June 29, 1981, at HMCS Montcalm in Quebec City, as a radar plotter. In 1984, this trade was renamed NCIOP. Not being enough passionate about the job, I changed to that of boatswain in 1986. At that time, I was part of the Reserve to finance my studies and experience maritime adventures every summer. This allowed me to study history, geography and teaching at university.
Did you experience the years of “gate vessels”?
I spent several summers in Halifax on different classes of ships, and I met a lot of good people. I have had the opportunity to visit many ports in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, as well as to sail along the U.S. east coast. I even explored the west coast – precious memories.
Do you have any salty and memorable anecdotes?
Haha, there are indeed a few! I remember a summer as a bosco (buffer) on HMCS Porte St-Louis and HMCS Porte St-Jean, where our captain was particularly discreet, preferring to stay in his cabin at sea. But when one passed near the door of his cabin, strange noises suggested that no one is safe from seasickness!
What were your highlights in service?
Teaching recruits and instructing first aid training. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to teach and train several members in first aid, also training instructors and even master instructors. My involvement in first aid allowed me to be admitted to the Order of St. John. In December 2022, I had the honour of receiving a Commendation from the Order of St. John, presented by the Surgeon General, Major-General Marc Bilodeau.
In 1992, I had the honour of being part of the first edition of the Naval Reserve’s Compagnie Franche de la Marine, where I was responsible for security, transportation and other related tasks. It was intense, but so rewarding to be able to participate in these events where the sailors wore historical uniforms and put on shows to meet the public.
After being an instructor for three recruit courses, I was briefly at CFLRS St-Jean in 1994, before having the opportunity to sail in the Caribbean, an unforgettable time! Other highlights: I worked on the standards for the recruit school at the CFB Borden, I taught first aid, as well as CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear).
Over the course of my career, I have been an instructor on 13 recruit platoons, including two as platoon commander. I have also instructed 13 PLQ and 3 ILQ courses. My last position in the Naval Reserve was as a Career Manager for the Basic Training List, where I managed the careers of over 1,000 members.
Over 43 years of service, we can say that there has been a lot of water that has flowed under the bridge!
What were the most difficult moments of your journey?
My family’s move to Kingston while I was training in Borden, coinciding with the death of my father. It was a particularly challenging time. I also had to face challenges as a Francophone working in a predominantly Anglophone environment.
What pushed you to your current job?
After 28 years in the Naval Reserve, I chose to transfer to the Regular Force. I spent two years as a Training Officer (TDO), and in 2013, I transferred to SIGINT (Signals Intelligence). In this job, I had the opportunity to deploy to Europe as part of Operation Reassurance aboard HMCS Charlottetown; six months at sea and on the old continent!
If memory serves me correctly, you started your own business of mounting medals through all of this, didn’t you?
My company is called “Sailor Court Mount Medals”. I started mounting medals when the base tailor stopped doing it. The members of my unit were looking for a place to mount their medals. I started with a simple assembly of four medals. After a few attempts that didn’t satisfy me, I finally managed to achieve what I wanted. Since then, I’ve learned a lot by demounting and mounting. For more than 20 years now, I have had the privilege of doing this for the regular force members, the reserve force, the cadets and even the Veterans and the RCMP.
HMC ships
My last question to Stéphane was regarding the ships he’s had the opportunity to sail in. Stéphane has been part of the ship’s company of: HMCS Nipigon, PLB Captor, HMCS Porte St-Louis, HMCS Porte St-Jean, HMCS Porte Dauphine, HMCS Porte de la Reine, HMCS Porte Quebec, HMCS Rally, HMCS Rapid, HMCS Anticosti, HMCS Algonquin, HMCS Preserver, and finally HMCS Charlottetown.
In conclusion, I must acknowledge that I was already impressed by the CD3, but after our conversation, I have an even deeper appreciation for the commitment, courage, and resilience MS Stéphane Guay has demonstrated throughout the years.
Bravo Zulu Stéphane, and congratulations to you and your family on this exceptional career!
